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Bay Area news briefs
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SF considers enforcing parking meters on Sunday

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Drivers in San Francisco may soon have to feed meters on Sunday.

The Municipal Transportation Agency's proposed budget — released on Thursday — calls for an end to free Sunday meters. Instead, meters would be enforced from noon to 6 p.m. that day.

The proposed budget also calls for up to 1,000 new parking meters and a $5 increase in the cost of parking tickets.

It comes as the MTA is facing multi-million-dollar budget deficits. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the additional revenue would help fund free Muni rides for low-income youth and increase the amount the agency spends on maintenance.

Calif. colleges may ask students if they are gay

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California public universities may ask students about their sexual orientation,

Students at University of California and California State University campuses would be asked to voluntarily state if they are gay, bisexual or transgender.

The questions would be posed because of a little-known state law aimed at learning whether those students are getting enough services, such as counseling.

The Los Angeles Times says there are concerns about privacy.

For six years, the University of California has asked about sexual orientation on an informal poll about campus life. But student names weren't used.

The shift comes in response to a law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last fall.

It calls for schools to adopt policies that discourage bullying of homosexual students and it asks, but does not require, state campuses to allow students to state their sexual orientation.

 

Calif. man convicted in torture, death of teen

MARTINEZ (AP) — A California man accused of killing an 18-year-old man during a meth high has been found guilty of first-degree murder and torture.

Robert Gardner is facing up to 25 years to life in prison in the December 2009 death of 18-year-old Eric Bean. He was convicted Thursday.

Authorities say Bean was hogtied and tortured for hours before another defendant in the case, Timothy Delosreyes III, put a dagger in his mouth and stepped on it. Bean choked on his own blood.

Also charged were Delosreyes's father and Gardner's wife. Authorities say they were high on methamphetamine and afraid Bean would implicate them in the theft of his father's guns.

The father and son are awaiting trial. The Contra Costa Times reports that the wife accepted a plea deal.